Magazine Cover Analysis - Empire (October 2007)

• The feature article photograph features Will Smith (the star of the film that the feature article is about) standing with a gun, looking into the camera and not much else. There is nothing that suggests the film's post apocalyptic setting. This is due to the fact that Will Smith is incredibly famous, and the fact that he stars in a film is enough to promote it.
• Will Smith is holding a gun, which suggests that there will be action in the film.
• The smoke that surrounds Will Smith gives connotations of danger. The fact that he appears to be amidst it suggests that he will be surrounded by danger throughout the film.
• In the cover line, the word 'legend' is set over Will Smith's body. This, coupled with the fact that the word is also in bold and is therefore different from the rest of the text on the line, associates the word 'legend' with Will Smith, implying that he is a legend. This boosts the status of the magazine, and will make people more likely to buy it.
• The masthead is large, bold and red, as it stereotypically seems to be in mainstream magazines. It stretches across the entirety of the top of the page, and is generally a very conventional masthead. This implies that the magazine has a large audience.
• The masthead appears in red and is the same shape in almost every issue, which creates a strong sense of brand identity.
• The puff at the top of the magazine details that the magazine has the 'best winter preview ever'. This implies that they need to always try to sell the magazine, meaning that they have a wide audience, rather than a niche one.
• The cover is packed with puff and plug arranged into columns on the left and right sides of the page. This is a conventional layout which implies that the magazine is designed to appeal to a wide range of people.
• The featured film, 'I am Legend', is referred to as a 'Sci-Fi Horror', but it could also be categorised as a Post-Apocalyptic film. However, the words 'Sci-Fi' and 'Horror' appeal to a wider audience. The fact that they have generalised the film to fit into this wider genre again implies that the magazine tries to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

Poster Analysis - The Book of Eli

• The colour scheme of the poster is predominantly a greyish-green colour, which has an unnatural feel which connotes the Post-Apocalyptic setting.
• There is a supreme lack of variety in colours. This is stereotypical of Post-Apocalyptic posters.
• In the background of the image is a decimated, urban landscape. This heavily denotes a Post-Apocalyptic setting.
• The urban nature of the background also has connotations of a Post-Apocalyptic setting, as urban backdrops are stereotypically seen in Post-Apocalyptic movie posters.
• We can see that the protagonist is carrying a weapon. This gives connotations of danger, and suggests that we will see action in the film.
• The protagonist is also wearing sunglasses. This gives connotations of 'badassery' and also suggests that the film will be action packed, as protagonists in action movie posters are also often seen to wear sunglasses.
• The names of popular actors that appear in the film are seen on the poster. This attracts people to watch the film.
• The tagline (beneath the title) is mysterious, as we are not told what 'it' is. This makes people want to watch the film.

Poster Analysis - 28 Days Later

• The colour scheme of the poster includes heavy use of the colour red.  This has connotations of violence and danger, which are prominent in the film.
• There is a supreme lack of variety in colours. This is stereotypical of Post-Apocalyptic posters.
• The black image stands out on the red background, this is eye-catching and will make people look at the poster.
• The image in the background is urban, which is stereotypically seen in post-apocalyptic movie posters.
• The top of the poster is dominated by two, angry-looking eyes. This gives a feeling of danger, which is prominent in the film.
• Around the poster there are scratch marks. This communicates a feeling of violence which is present in the film.
• At the top of the poster is text saying 'from the director of Trainspotting & The Beach'. This boosts the status of the film and makes people want to watch it.
• Below this is a quote used to review the film. This also boosts the film's status and makes people more likely to watch it.

Poster Analysis - The Road

• The colour scheme of the poster is almost greyscale. It has incredibly weak colours which gives a feeling of bleakness. This reflects the mood and tone of the film.
• The colour scheme of the poster identifies the film as being Post-Apocalyptic, as film posters in this genre are, more often than not, devoid of colour. 
• The characters stand out a lot more than the background, as the contrast of that section of the image has been increased, with more dramatic shadows, whereas the contrast of the background seems to have been decreased, as well as the background being blurred. This conveys that the film will be more about the characters and how they survive than the Post-Apocalyptic setting itself.
• The background has connotations of an urban location due to the grey colour and shape of the 'objects' in the background. This is stereotypical of Post-Apocalyptic films.
• The background also appears scratched, communicating a sense of danger that is present in the film.
• The font used is a serif font, which appears more serious, suggesting that the film will be serious and dramatic.
• The picture is shot at a canted angle, which creates a sense of unease and tension. This again suggests that film will be dramatic.
• The protagonist is holding a gun, communicating a sense of danger that is present in the film.
• Both characters have serious expressions, communicating the serious and dramatic nature of the film.
• The names of the popular actors in the film appear on the poster, while the name of the child on the poster (Kodi Smit-McPhee) does not. This attracts more people to watch the film.
• Text at the bottom of the poster details that the film is based on a 'Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel'. This boosts the film's status and attracts more people to watch the film.
• The text also says the book is by 'the author of No Country For Old Men'. This also boosts the status of the film and attracts more people to watch the film.

Shot List

The following is my shot list. The numbers are shot numbers, which correspond to certain frames on the storyboard, which I will be using for reference during shooting. The list contains information on the dates of shoots, the actors that need to be present, the costume that they will need to wear, and the numbers of the shots that will be filmed.

Late Night shoot (Friday, 10^th October)

Gemma & Abby – You will be wearing your character costumes, which I will discuss with you.

2
3
4
5
6
59

Morning shoot (Saturday, 11^th October)

Gemma & Abby.

Character Costumes.

9
13
14
15
23
24
26
27
46
51
52
54
55
56
57
61
62
63
64
68
69
78

Mark dying spectacularly (Saturday, 11^th October)

Mark.

Clothes that could possibly get blood on. Normal sort of clothes.

Not sure of location yet, fake blood will be involved

21
22

Raiders kill a guy (Saturday 11^th October)

Torben, Brandy, Adam, Matt.

I’ll give you some Post-Apocalyptic type clothes.

Basically, 3 of you will be cannibals, someone approaches you, and one of you will kill the guy. Simple stuff.

25
28

Safehouse shoot (Monday 13^th October, After School)

Gemma, Abby, Dan, & extras.

(I have frees 5^th and 6^th, do you guys have these frees also? Let me know)

These scenes take place before Cass and Annie (Gemma and Abby) go out into the post-apocalyptic world. Food is running out and tensions are high. The content of these scenes happen before the events of the film. In the full feature-length film, these shots would appear as flashbacks.

Costumes: Normal clothes, things that you would wear pre-apocalypse.

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
45
70
73

Church Interior Scene (Tuesday 14^th October)

Gemma & Abby.

Character Costumes.

This is only two shots so this could potentially be done in frees. Let me know what frees you both have.

7
8
58

River shoot (Tuesday 14^th October)

Gemma & Abby.

Character Costumes.

These could potentially be done in the Early Morning shoot.

43
44

Gemma’s house (Tuesday 14^th October)

Gemma & Abby.

Character Costumes.

48
49
50
53
65
74
77

Shots with Chris (Wednesday 15^th October)

Gemma, Abby & Chris.

Character Costumes.

66
67
72
75
76

Script

This is the script for my trailer. It contains all of the spoken dialogue.

Storyboard Final Draft

This is the final draft of the storyboard for my trailer. I kept the majority of shots that were in my first draft. I added more shots that give details of the plot, as my audience research shows that plot details are the element of trailers that most attract people to watch a film. I also added more action-based shots at the end of the trailer, so that it has an effective climax. 

Character referred to as 1 is Cass, played by Gemma Hopkins
Character referred to as 2 is Annie, played by Abby Greensmith
Character referred to as 3 is William, leader of The Safehouse, played by Daniel Hunnable
Character referred to as 4 is Pierce, leader of the Cannibals, played by Chris Spink